Combination paraffin scraper and sucker rod guide



April 1949. s. M. HOLCOMBE 2,466,239

COMBINATION PARAF'FIN SCRAPER AND SUCKEH ROD GUIDE Filed July 24, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet l i fy. ,2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 1949- s. M. HOLCOMBE 2,466,239

COMBINATION PARAFFIN SCRAPER AND SUCKER ROD GUIDE Filed July 24, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY April 5, 1949. s. M. HOLCOMBE 2,466,239

COMBINATION PARAFFIN SCRAPER' AND SUCKER ROD GUIDE Filed July 24, 1944 3Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Sam 16/ Mx /o/c'ombe Patented Apr. 5, 1949COMBINATION PARAFFIN SCRAPER AND SUCKER ROD GUIDE Samuel M. Holcombe,Tulsa, Okla. Application July 24, 1944, Serial No. 546,232

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination scraper and sucker rod guide andhas for its principal object to provide a device of this characteradapted for insertion between adjacent sucker rods or at points in awell tubing for removing parafiln which tends to collect and block flowof well fluid therethrough and for guiding the sucker rods in the tubingto reduce wear thereon.

Other objects of the invention are to incorporate scraper and guideelements in a pony rod such as used in connecting sections of suckerrods; to provide a scraper device having plow-like cutters which arereadily removed and replaced when worn; to provide scraper elementsarranged to form channel-like passageways through which paraiiin removedfrom the tubing is adapted to fall to the bottom of the well and whichprovide ample flow passageways for the well fluid; to provide the cutterelements with metal inserts higher in the electrochemical series ofmetals than the metals from which the sucker rods and tubings are formedfor protecting the sucker rods and tubing from electrolyticdecomposition; and to provide a sucker rod connector on which thescraper elements are readily applied or interchanged with rollerelements according to the conditions in the well tubing through whichsucker rods operate.

It is also an object to provide a sucker rod device with rollers toreduce stress, prevent sucker rods from wearing, the tubing fromcutting, and which will require less power on the pump operated by therods.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a combination scraperand sucker rod guide that is of simple, inexpensive construction,eilicient in operation, and which will readily take the bends of thetubing in a crooked bore-hole.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which isillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a combination scraper and sucker rodguide embodying the features of the present invention and adapted to beconnected into a string of sucker rods and inserted in a well tubing.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the well tubing in which thesucker rods operate, the section being taken through combination scraperand sucker rod guide on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar section taken through the combination scraper andsucker rod guide on the line 3-3 of Fig. I, particularly illustratinmounting of the scraper elements.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken through the combination scraper andsucker rod guide on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, particularly illustratingmounting of the guide roller.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the device with parts shown indisassembled spaced relation to better illustrate the constructionthereof.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of the device with the scraper elementshown in section and the retaining plate for the guide rollers removedto better illustrate mounting of the scraper elements and guide rollers.

Fig. '7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the guiderollers replaced with scraper elements.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the scraper elements replaced withguide rollers.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a device constructed in accordance with the presentinvention and which is adapted for insertion between selected sectionsof sucker rods (shown in dotted lines) 2 and 3, Fig. 1, in place of theusual rod coupling, the device being adapted to remove paraffin andother aceumulations from the inner surface 4 of a well tubing or casing5 in which the sucker rods are inserted as in conventional practice. Thedevice is also adapted for retaining the sucker rods substantiallycoaxially of the well tubing and prevent a rubbing thereof on the tubingwhen the sucker rods are operated.

The device includes a generally cylindrical rodlike body 6 similar to apony rod and is provided with a plurality of pairs of wings or flanges Iand 8, the pairs of wings being arranged in longitudinal series alongthe rod-like body and the wings of each pair project in oppositedirections from substantially squared upsets 9 on the body 6. The wingshave relatively flat sides Ill and ends II, but the outer edge faces I2are provided with semi-circular notches l3 and H at opposite sides ofinternally threaded sockets 15 formed substantially midway of the lengthof the wings, The upset portions have fiat faces surrounding the wingsto provide seats It for seating the scraper elements later described.The ends of the body 6 have the usual internally threaded boxes ll andE8 to engage the threaded pins on the ends of the sucker rod sections 2and 3. The ends of the rods also have polygonal-shaped portions l9 and20 to receive a wrench (not shown) by which the rod-like body 6 iscoupled with the sections of the sucker rod. The rod-like body 6 isdesigned that no part thereof has a smaller cross section that that ofthe corresponding size sucker rods and all corners are fllleted,particularly the juncture of the wings with the seats I6 so as to avoidany defined lines on which fractures might occur. The wings are spaced asuitable distance from the ends of the body to allow engagement of aslip socket in case of rod breakage or failure of the rod connection.

Any number of pairs of wings may be employed, but in the presentinvention two pairs of wings are shown with the wings of one pairarranged in right angular relation with the wings of the other pair sothat the scraper elements are staggered with respect to the guideelements as shown in Fig. 1.

The scraper elements 2| are of substantially shield shape and are curvedtransversely on a radius slightly smaller than the radius of the innerface of the tubing. The sides 22 and 23 of the cutter elements aresufficiently thin to form cutting edges rounding upwardly and downwardlytoward the longitudinal median lines of the scraper elements toterminate in plow-like points 25 and 2B which act in the manner of aplow in effecting dislodgment of paraffin or other accumulations on theinterior of the tubing. The underside of the cutting elements curveinwardly from the outer edges and connect with longitudinal bosses 21arranged longitudinally on the median lines of the elements and havinginwardly extending slot-like sockets 28 conforming with the shape of thewings so that when the scraper elements are mounted on the wings, theside faces 29 of the slot-like sockets closely engage the side faces ofthe wings and the end faces of the sockets closely engage the ends ofthe wings to prevent relative movement of the cutter elements withrespect to the rodlike body. The inner faces of the bosses, and thesides and ends of the slot-like socket are shaped to engage the seat Itand the ends of the socket are streamlined in the longitudinal directionof the rod-like body to facilitate movement of the well fluid andengagement of the scrapers with any paraffin or other material tendingto collect on the inner face of the tubing. The scraper elements areremovably retained on the wings by fastening devices such as screws 38having threaded shanks 3| extending through openings 32 in the bodyportions of the scraper elements and into threaded sockets 33 formed inthe edge faces of the wings as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The screwshave heads 34 countersunk in the scraper elements as indicated at 35.

It is well known that sucker rods and well tubing are subject tocorrosion and pitting when operated in wells containing electrolyticfluids and that such corrosion and pitting may be prevented by providingsufficient quantities of a metal higher in the electrolytic chemicalseries than the metals from which the sucker rods and tubing re formed,the protective metal being decomposed by the electrolytic action ratherthan the other metals. 1, therefore, provide the outer faces of theshear members with longitudinal and transverse ribs 36 and 31 formingrecesses 38 therebetween in which is cast the protective metal 39; forexample, zinc or lead. In order to anchor the metal, the ribs may beprovided with openings 40 extending therethrough and through whichportions of the protective metal flow when the metal is cast in therecesses. The ribs provide sufficient wearing surface to prevent wearingof the protective metal, however, the protective metal is exposedsufficiently so that it is kept clean of corrosion and the like as Ifind that the protective metal to be efficient must have the surfacesthereof free of corrosion and other coatings tending to interfere withflow of electric current.

In order that the device may also be used as a guide, I provide rollerbearings 4|, wheels 42 connected by an integral axle 43 and having theperipheries thereof shaped to conform to the inner radius of the tubingso that they may roll thereagainst upon reciprocation of the suckerrods. The roller bearings are adapted to be mounted on the wings byinserting the axle portions 43 in the notches l3 and I4 as shown inFigs. 4 and 6. The axles are retained in position by plates 44 adaptedto engage the outer edge faces of the wings and having semi-circularnotches 45 corresponding with the notches l3 and I4. The sides and endsof the keeper plate may be provided with fingers 4B and 41 for engagingthe sides and ends of the wings and prevent lateral shifting movementthereof and for relieving shear on the fastening device 48 which isprojected through an opening 49 in the keeper plate and into thethreaded socket is of the wings.

The invention, therefore, contemplates a pony rod equipped with a pairof scraper elements and pairs of roller bearings as shown in Fig. 1, orthe roller bearings may be removed and scraper elements applied to thelower wings as shown in Fig. 7. Also, if desired, the scraper elementsmay beremoved and replaced with roller bearing elements as shown in Fig.8. Thus, the scraper elements may be mounted on selected pony rods wherethe paraffin or the like tends to collect and roller bearings may bemounted on other pony rods to prevent rubbing of the sucker rodsagainst'the wall of the tubing. In the instance illustrated in Fig. 1,the roller bearings also act in conjunction with the scraper elements tokeep the tubing clear of paraffin and the like. In order to prevent theends of the scraper from catching on the ends of the tubing 0r coupling,the tubing engaging faces are preferably tappered at the end thereof asindicated at 50.

In using the form of invention shown in Fig. 1, the sucker rods areconnected with boxes I! and 18 so that scraping elements cooperate withthe guide wheels to retain the sucker rod in substantially coaxialrelation with the casing or tubing and to effect removal of paraffintending to collect on the inner faces thereof. The devices may belocated along the length of the string of sucker rods where necessary orthey may be used as couplings for connecting all of the rods. If thestroke of the rod is not sufficient for "the scraper elements tocompletely traverse the tubing, the paraffin collected on the tubingwall between the limits of movement of the scraper elements is readilyremoved by disconnecting the string of sucker rods from the pumpingapparatus and raising and lowering the rods in the well several timeswhich is suflicient to clear the tubing of any paraffin blocking theflow therethrough. The paraiiin may gravitate to the bottom of the wellthrough the spaces provided between the scraping elements or it may becarried to the top of the well by the well flow.

If electrolytic fluids are present and electric currents are generated,the metal inserts in the scraper elements prevent deterioration of therods and tubing.

The form of the invention illustrated in Fig. '1 operates in similarmanner to that illustrated in Fig. 1 with the exception that the scraperelements also serve as guide elements and this type may be inserted inthose portions of the well string in which the paraffin is more likelyto accumulate.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 8 may be inserted in the portions ofthe rods which show wear on the tubing so as to retain the sucker rodaway from the tubing during reciprocation thereof.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a combinationscraper and sucker rod guide of simple and inexpensive construction andwhich may be inserted between selective sections of sucker rods in themanner of a pony rod and which effectively removes paramn and otheraccumulations tending to collect in a well tubing.

It is also obvious that a string of sucker rods when equipped with myinvention operate concentrically of the tubing and prevents wearingthrough of the tubing by the sucker rods.

It is also obvious that the scraper elements provide convenience formounting the metal inserts necessary to prevent deterioration of thesucker rods and tubing in wells flowing electrolytic fluids.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including, a cylindrical bodyadapted for connection in a string of sucker rods. said body havingwings provided with notches therein, cutter elements having socketsengaged over said wings and provided with lug portions engaged in saidnotches. and fastening devices extending through the cutter elements andinto the wings to detachably retain said cutter elements.

2. A pony rod having axially spaced upsets intermediate the ends thereofprovided with substantially flat outer faces on opposite sides of saidupsets, said faces on one upset being staggered from the faces of theother upset, wings projecting from said upsets, scraper elements havingsocket portions receiving the wings and having portions engaging saidfaces, fastening devices for securing the scraper elements to saidwings, and a supplementary connection between the scraper elements andsaid wings including a lug on the scraper elements engaging a notch insaid wings.

3. A paraflin scraper of the character described including a rod-likebody having a longitudinal upset spaced from ends thereof, wingsextending longitudinally of said upsets and projecting therefrom, saidupset being wider than said wings to provide seating faces on respectivesides of the wings, scraper elements having sockets to receive the wingstherein and seating faces on the sides of the sockets for engaging saidseating faces on the upset, and means for removably retaining thescraper elements on said wings with said seating faces on the scraperelements in engaging contact with the seating faces on said upset.

4. A parafiin scraper of the character described including a rod-likebody having a longitudinal upset spaced from ends thereof, wingsextending longitudinally of said upset and projecting therefrom, saidupset being wider than said wings to provide seating faces on respectivesides of the wings, scraper elements having sockets to receive the wingstherein and seating faces on the sides of the sockets for engaging saidseating faces on the upset, means for removably retaining the scraperelements on said wings with said seating faces on the scraper elementsin engaging contact with the seating faces on said upset, said wingshaving transverse notches, and said scraper elements having lug portionsin said sockets for engaging in said notches.

5. A paraflin scraper of the character described including a rod-likebody having a longitudinal upset spaced from ends thereof, wingsextending longitudinally of said upsets and projecting therefrom, saidupset being wider than said wings to provide seating faces on respectivesides of the wings, scraper elements having sockets to receive the wingstherein and seating faces on the sides of the sockets for engaging saidseating faces on the upset, means for removably retaining the scraperelements on said wings with said seating faces on the scraper elementsin engaging contact with the seating faces on said upset, said scraperelements having sides diverging from said sockets, spaced ribs extendingfrom said sides opposite the sockets, and bodies of protective metalanchored between said ribs of higher electrochemical series than themetal from which said body member is formed.

6. A device of the character described including a. substantiallyrod-like body member, substantially shield-shaped scraper elementscurved transversely on a radius slightly smaller than the radius of theinner face of a well tubing in which the device is to be inserted andhaving upper and lower ends curving inwardly to points of said scraperelements, means for removably attaching the scraper elements to saidelongated body member, said scraper elements having longitudinal andtransverse ribs forming recesses, and metal filling said recesses higherin the electrochemical serles of metals than the metal from which therod-like body member is formed.

SAMUEL M. HOLCOMBE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 684,732 Villard Oct. 15, 1901712,488 Black Nov. 4, 1902 929,780 McLoughlin et a1. Aug. 3, 19091,181,310 Hodgman May 2, 1916 1,720,049 Miller July 9, 1929 1,721,004Debose July 16, 1929 1,770,207 Helmling July 8, 1930 1,860,659 CrileyMay 31, 1932 1,909,994 Wright May 23, 1933 1,947,969 Browne Feb. 20,1934 2,084,421 Wright June 22, 1937 2,094,897 Leidecker Oct. 5, 19372,175,770 Dodson Oct. 10, 1939 2,244,104 Fitzpatrick June 3, 1941

